The MS said that the hospital received seven cases in 2015 and eight cases in 2014. He said that there were no deaths attributed to the disease last year, but it did claim four lives in 2014. PHOTO: FILE

RAWALPINDI: A patient at Holy Family Hospital (HFH) tested positive for Congo fever on Saturday.

Ulfat Mehmood, 62, was brought to the hospital four days ago from Choha Saiden Shah in Chakwal with a high fever.

The hospital suspected it could be dengue fever and sent samples for testing to the National Institute of Health. The results showed that Mehmood was suffering from Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF).

He was said to be in stable condition with no active bleeding.

HFH Medical Superintendent Dr Raja Shafique Sarwar said the patient was in stable condition but was being kept in an isolation ward to avoid spreading the potentially deadly viral infection.

He said that it was the first Congo fever case treated at the hospital this year.

The MS said that the hospital received seven cases in 2015 and eight cases in 2014. He said that there were no deaths attributed to the disease last year, but it did claim four lives in 2014.

Sarwar said that doctors had also placed medical staff who had attended to Ulfat under observation as a precaution.